Last season's record: 4-12, 8-16
Finish: Eighth
Coach: Chuck Downing
Top returners: Pitcher Richard Garmo (senior, bats right, throws right); outfielder/pitcher Nick Richard (senior, bats right, throws right); designated hitter Ed Poulson (junior, bats right, throws right); shortstop/third baseman Scott Paul (senior, bats right, throws right).
Top newcomers: Shortstop/third baseman Dennis Nichols (senior, bats right, throws right); catcher Mike Moore (junior, bats right, throws right).
Outlook: Downing takes over a struggling program in his first season. Monte Vista won eight games last year, but the Monarchs are 3-3 in nonleague play. Offensively, Monte Vista will be led by Paul, who hit .392 last season. Nichols returns after missing last season with a broken arm. Downing said he has four solid pitchers "who can pitch varsity level ball." Downing, a teacher at Monte Vista, last coached the junior varsity team during the 1980-81 season. "We can't afford to make mistakes," he said. "We're going to have to scrap."
Mount Miguel
Last season's record: 7-8-1, 12-12-1
Finish: Fifth
Coach: Mike Triggs
Top returners: Shortstop Eddie Cervantes (senior, bats right, throws right); pitcher Anthony Garnica (senior, bats right, throws right); pitcher Delfin Merlin (senior, bats left, throws left); catcher Rick Ayala (senior, bats right, throws right).
Top newcomers: Second baseman Mike Baker (junior, bats right, throws right); first baseman Devin Rainer (junior, bats right, throws right).
Outlook: Mount Miguel has jumped to a 5-1 nonleague record and may have enough punch to move up in the standings after finishing fifth last season. Mount Miguel is led offensively by Cervantes. The Matadors also return pitchers Garnica and Merlin. Baker will hit No. 2 after playing on the junior varsity last season. "We're working to just give ourselves a chance," said Triggs, beginning his second season.
Santana
Last season's record: 17-1, 23-2
Finish: First
Coach: Joe Saska
Top returners: Pitcher/outfielder Bill Reed (senior, bats left, throws left); outfielder/pitcher Mark Sherman (senior, bats right, throws right); outfielder Scott Oliver (senior, bats right, throws right).
Top newcomer: Catcher Raul Padilla (senior, bats right, throws right).
Outlook: Santana returns Reed, probably the county's top pitching prospect. Reed was 10-0 last season in leading the Sultans to the 3-A section title. It was the Sultans second section title in the last three years. Saska, who won the championship last season in his first year as Santana coach, said it may be difficult to repeat. "We have a good pitching staff and we're pretty sound defensively," he said. "We just don't have the firepower we had last year."
Valhalla
Last season's record: 12-3-1, 19-7-1
Finish: Second
Coach: John Marlow
Top returners: Outfielder Jon Perez (senior, bats right, throws right); shortstop Johnny Ace (senior, bats right, throws right); catcher/utilityman Eric Yetta (senior, bats right, throws right); third baseman/pitcher Joe Crisci (senior, bats right, throws right); pitcher Justin Post (senior, bats left, throws left).
Top newcomer: Pitcher/outfielder Bobby Runeborg (junior, bats left, throws left).
Outlook: Before the season started, pitching looked to be the biggest question mark for Valhalla, but the Norsemen (2-4) have struggled offensively and have been one-hit twice. The ace will be the 6-foot 3-inch Post, who was 4-1 as the No. 3 pitcher last season. Runeborg and Crisci will back Post. Yetta hit .350 last season. "We should be right in the thick of it," Marlow said. "If we can get the pitching, we'd have a good chance of winning it."
